Need Help With Your Twitter Bio? Actually, That’s Not a Question.

As of press time, there are approximately 1,436 katrillion Twitter users, so I can understand why it might be difficult to distinguish yourself from everyone else in your Twitter Bio when you’ve only got 140 or whatever characters.

Maybe you use Twitter to chat with friends. Or maybe you use it pass on world-crushing news headlines. Every three minutes. Or maybe you want to use social media to connect to people. Forty thousand people. On an intimate basis. Or maybe you don’t use Twitter at all, in which case, I commend you. You must have an awful lot of time on your hands because of it.

But for those who do use Twitter, if you want to stand out from the rest, if you want to separate your wheat from their chaff, please avoid the following commonly used Twitter Bio cliches.

Twitter Bio Cliches

Using the word “entrepreneur”. Do you not realize it rhymes with “cat manure”? You should use the word “me too” instead because it means the same thing and it uses less characters. Or try a creative derivation, like “frogpreneur”. Or “sludgepreneur”.

Loving shoes and chocolate. Unless you’re a man, in which case, that is different.

Loving your life. Nobody wants to hear how fabulous your life is, Pollyanna. You’re one of those people that tweets about what you’re having for lunch, aren’t you. Aren’t you!

Your passion is helping people live their life to the fullest. Listen to yourself. Read that out loud. What do you think that sounds like?

Being passionate about anything, really. Take a chill pill, Eager McEagerstein.

Trying to “stay sane” in your “crazy life”. Ask the next 10 people you see if they think their life is crazy. If less than 10 of them say YES, then you can leave your bio as is.

Being a “strategist”, “guru”, or “maven” of some sort. Or worse, all three.

Any misspellings whatsoever. This isn’t necessarily a cliché; it just grates on me and makes you a grammar klutz. Unless you’re doing it on purpose. Like “Vampirepreneur”.

Use the above checklist to count how many cliché violations you are committing. If your Twitter Bio contains three or more of the above references, knock it down to one at the most and replace them with something truly different and unique.

Or convert them to an obvious list of hashtags, so that you’re telling us that you know that we know that you know you’re just using buzzwords for search results. But if you’re simply using them to describe yourself, you’re not one in a million; you’re one of a million.

I’m not saying that being a “life coach” or an “entrepreneur” in and of itself is a bad thing, but when you jump into the pool and everyone else is yelling that they are a life coach or an entrepreneur, when millions of other people use those words to describe themselves, it dilutes the meaning and lessens their effectiveness in distinguishing yourself from the pack.

So take a second look at your bio and see if there isn’t something that helps individualize you. Want some suggestions?

Twitter Bio Ideas and Suggestions

Consultant vs. Entrepreneur – How about neither? Try to be a little more specific than these generic and commonly used terms. Are you a UFO consultant, perhaps? Or maybe you’re interested in building businesses on Mars. Yeah! You could be a Marspreneur!

My Passion Is… – If you find that you’re running out of room, remove the phrase, “My passion is…” because it sounds like something you picked up at a Tony Robbins seminar. Use your OWN words. Say “I love…” or just list what you love. It uses less characters to say: “Big Foot, Abominable Snowman, Loch Ness Monster” than to preface it with “My passion is…”. If you produce a list of items that you’re into, we’ll know you love them.

Favorite Food – Everyone loves chocolate. But what do you like that a lot of people don’t like? You know, something icky like persimmon-stuffed anchovies. How many other people like that stuff? Let alone proclaim it on their Twitter Bio.

By the way, I’m not saying mine is all that and a box of Twinkies, but I’ve managed to avoid violating the Top Ten List, and I’ve incorporated something you might not see on someone else’s bio:

Click on bio to follow me on Twitter

So for the love of all that is holy, take another crack at that bio of yours and see if you can’t throw one semi-unique description of yourself in there.

Meanwhile, if you want another follower, follow me on Twitter. I’m @nannygoats. And I’ll catch you on the flip side. Or whatever the kids are saying these days.

Grammatically speaking, you are probably correct, but I think I was going for that comedic beat, as if I suddenly remembered I should probably put an “ist” at the end of it which required a longer pause, and I can’t believe I’m dissecting this to death – somebody stop me – did I mention I never went to bed last night? Yeah.

Great suggestions! I had to double check mine and than I realized I didn’t even fill out my profile. So I guess that makes me ironically cool or just plain ignorant. Or since I tend to always be a complete and utter grammar klutz I was frozen in terror and too afraid to fill out my profile.

My Twitter bio is: “Hockey is my passion. The Red Wings are my obsession.” I guess that part about my passion has kept me from getting too many followers? But then, considering I began on Twitter JUST so I could stay in touch with other Wing fans, I guess I’m doing okay.

I appreciated #6 especially. In online dating profiles, I have made sure to specifically point out that I do not live life to the fullest, because I actually do enjoy TV. And sleep. And they can take it or leave it. (Usually the latter.)

If I had a dollar for every profile I saw that mentioned wine, well, I’d have several dollars. I like wine too, but it’s becoming a cliche among “mom bloggers.” And I also hate that term. “Mommy blogger” even more.

Hi Anne-Marie –
I’m not sure what you’re asking so I can’t tell if you’re mad at me or making a joke. I hate it when I don’t get what someone is asking because now I’ll feel dumb as you explain it to me, but your 2nd question is throwing me. It’s either missing a verb, or you’re using an advanced form of Twitter speak I’m not aware of.
Sorry!

Even though you can’t show me how to live my life to the fullest, I’m pleased that you taught me a new word. Now, I just need to work crpatillion into my Twitter bio. Too bad I’ve only had 2 husbands and 3 kids, hmmm.

I actually thought having a facebook acct or profile or whatever it is was the utmost waste of time and space. I do not have an acct on facebook nor do I plan to. Twitter is enough for me as well as my blog.